▪ I. † proˈcure, n. Obs. rare.
Also 6 Sc. procuire.
[a. OF. procure (13th c. in Godef.) procuration, agency, f. procurer to procure. So med.L. prōcūra (1389 in Du Cange).]
= procurement 1.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) V. 37 This Comodus..was sleyne..thro the procure and cause of his wife. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iv. 147 Off Ancus Martius we reid the greit mischance,..Slaine be Lucinio at Tanaquillis procuire. |
▪ II. procure, v.
(prəʊˈkjʊə(r))
Forms: α. 3–5 procure-n (3 -curi), 4– procure (4 -cury, 5 -kure, 6 Sc. -cuir). β. 4 procre, -core, 4–5 procur, 5 procour, proker.
[a. F. procurer (13th c. in Littré), ad. L. prōcūrāre to take for, take care of, attend to, manage, to act as procurator: see pro-1 and cure v. In ME. usually stressed on the first syllable, ˈprocure (from F. inf. procuˈrer); hence the weakened β-forms ˈprocur, etc., here illustrated:
13.. Cursor M. 28201 (Cott.), I wald he ware vn-fere or ded. And bath i procurd þam wit red. c 1330 Procore [see 5]. 1340–70 Procre [see 6]. 1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 531 And mankynd biddis vs that we To procur vengeans besy be. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 235 (MS. Cott. Tib.) On Aluredus [he] hadde yprocred his deþ. c 1400 Destr. Troy 9226 He shuld procour the prinse, & the prise grekes, To pas fro þat prouyns, payre hom nomore. Ibid. 11555 Sho prayet hym pourly..to..proker hir pes with his prise wordes. a 1450 Myrc 689 Al them that..prokeren wher thorgh holy chirch is peyred. c 1470 Henry Wallace vi. 863 To procur pes be ony maner off cace.]
I. † 1. trans. To care for, take care of, attend to, look after. [So in L., and OF.] Obs. rare.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. iv. 357 (Cott. MS.) Bot þe possessoure to procure [Wemyss MS. trete]..wiþe honoure, And habundance of reches. Ibid. viii. xxiv. 3648 Our Kynge Dauid was sende in Frawns, Qwhar he..was..procuryt [v.r. tretit] in al esse ilk deil. |
† 2. intr. To put forth or employ care or effort; to do one's best; to endeavour, labour; to use means, take measures. Const. inf. with to (for to); for, to, unto a thing. Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7462 Þus þey þrete wyþ manace, & ful yuel þey procure & purchace. c 1380 Antecrist in Todd Three Treat. Wyclif (1851) 127 Crist fleed from seculer lordschip & office; þei procuren fast to have it. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 5825 Thar-for ert þow mys-byþoȝte, To procury hym to slee. c 1400 Brut 249 Þai were his enemys..and procurede forto make debate and contak bituene him and his sone. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 9220 Vnto his deliueraunce he procured. 1509 Parl. Devylles ad fin., Who that wyll for heuen procure, Kepe hym fro the deuylles combrement. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. Pref. 3 To procure for the commodities and welth of Englande. 1561 T. Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer i. (1577) D iv b, Such a countenaunce as this is,..and not so softe and womanish as many procure to haue. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. i. i. 3 Hee gaue them charge..that they shoulde procure to atteine to the sight of Presbiter Ioan. 1608 R. Johnson Seven Champions ii. I iv b, Rosana..did procure to defend her selfe and offend hir enemie. |
† 3. trans. To contrive or devise with care (an action or proceeding); to endeavour to cause or bring about (mostly something evil) to or for a person. Obs.
| c 1290 Beket 1258 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 142 A-morewe comen þis bischopes and þe eorles also, To procuri seint thomas al þat vuel þat heo miȝten do. 13.. Seuyn Sag. (W.) 1201 He the procureth, night and dai, Al the sschame that he mai. 13.. Coer de L. 1730, I pray thee, Sir Tanker king, Procure me none evil thing. 1484 Caxton Fables of Alfonce v, Ofte..the euyll whiche is procured to other cometh to hym whiche procureth it. 1530 Palsgr. 667/1, I procure, I cause a thyng to be done, or I devyse meanes to bringe a thynge to passe, je procure. 1573–80 Baret Alv. P 740 To procure hatred, or euill will to men, struere odium in aliquos. 1620 J. Wilkinson Courts Leet 136 Yee shall reasonably and honestly procure the profit of the corporation of this Towne. |
† b. ? To care for; ? to endeavour to get or do.
| 1574 Hellowes Gueuara's Fam. Ep. (1577) 308 For women be of such quality, that they procure nothing [que ninguna cosa tanto procuran] so much as that which is most forbidden them. |
II. 4. To bring about by care or pains; also (more vaguely) to bring about, cause, effect, produce. a. with simple object. Now rare.
| c 1340 Hampole Prose Tr. 11 All maner of wilfull pollusyone procurede one any maner agaynes kyndly oys. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 215 Þe emperesse Eudoxia had i-procured þe out puttynge [procuravit ejectionem] of Iohn. Ibid. VI. 243 He sente Alcuinus..for to procure pees. 1554 Bradford in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. App. xxx. 84 It is we..that have sinned and procured thy grievous wrath upon us. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. i. 66 A drinke called Coffa..which helpeth..digestion, and procureth alacrity. 1677 W. Harris tr. Lemery's Chym. (1686) 536 It is good to procure sweat. 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. xii, This second sneer procured another laugh against him. 1861 E. O'Curry Lect. MS. Materials 252 His uncle Cobhthach soon procured his death by means of a poisoned drink. |
b. with subordinate clause. arch.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter lxviii. 12 Sum procurd þat .i. sould dye. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. Ep. P. Giles (1895) 8 He is mynded to procure that he maye be sent thether. 1654 tr. Martini's Conq. China 226, I will procure all Europe shall understand the Issue of these prodigious revolutions. 1711 Medley No. 40 They procur'd that Mony shou'd be lent at 5 per Cent. 1894 R. Bridges Feast of B. i. 301 Could you procure that I should speak with her? |
† c. with inf. To manage (to do something). Obs.
| 1559 Mirr. Mag. (1563) H v b, Eyther I must procure to see them dead, Or for contempt as a traytour lose my head. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1378/2 Sir Roger Manwood..procured to pas another act of parlement,..wherein is further prouision made for the said bridge. 1678 R. Barclay Apol. Quakers ii. iii. 25 Men..have procured to be esteemed as Masters of Christianity, by certain Artificial Tricks. |
d. with obj. and inf. pass. To cause or get (a person or thing) to be treated in some way; to get something done to (a person). Now rare.
| a 1450 Myrc 696 All that vnrightfully defameth eny person or prokereth to be famed. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 7 b, Procuring him to be sent in embassage. a 1626 Bacon Civ. Char. Jul. Cæsar Ess. (1696) 161 He procured to be enacted no wholsome Laws. 1724 A. Collins Gr. Chr. Relig. 34 They procur'd him to be crucify'd. 1794 Paley Evid. ii. ix. (1817) 216 [Nero] procured the Christians to be accused. 1866 Howells Venet. Life v. 68 An ingenious lover procured his..rival to be arrested for lunacy. |
5. To obtain by care or effort; to gain, win, get possession of, acquire. (Now the leading sense.) In early use, to gain the help of, to win over (a person) to one's side.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11483 Sir Ion..turnde aȝe sir simond & procurede oþer mo. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 119 Mald in Bristow lettres fast sendes, Bi messengers trow, forto procore frendes. |
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 355 He was þe firste þat ordeyned comyn scole at Oxenforde.., and procrede fredom and priveleges in many articles to þat citee. 1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Aug. 50 The first þat he schuld neuyr procur no wyf to no man. 1538 Starkey England i. i. 7 Hyt ys bettur..for a man being in gret pouerty, rather to procure some ryches then hye phylosophy. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. iv. 256 To him selfe he procuiret the fame of all æquitie. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. 2 This..procured to him great obloquie. 1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Abbé Conti 19 May, Things that 'tis very easy to procure lists of. 1776 Carlisle Mag. 7 Sept. 143 She endeavoured to procure employment as a needle⁓woman. 1874 Green Short Hist. iii. §4. 134 Books were difficult and sometimes even impossible to procure. Mod. Could you procure me specimens? |
b. To obtain (women) for the gratification of lust. Usually absol. or intr. To act as a procurer (sense 4) or procuress.
| 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 68 How doth my deere Morsell, thy Mistris? Procures she still? 1706 Phillips, Procure,..is also taken in an ill Sense, for to act as a Pimp or Bawd. 1745 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) I. 282 Juno..offers to procure for Aeolus, by way of bribe. 1891 Daily News 26 Jan. 7/2 Charged..at the Lambeth Police-court, on Saturday, with that he did by false pretences procure E. A. H. |
6. To prevail upon, induce, persuade, get (a person) to do something. Obs. or arch.
| 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 347 Ne we agayn hem to do [ed. go] nol no gome procre. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 342 Hou þat Clement left his office and procuride oþir to helpe him. 1401 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 25 Why procurest thou men to yeve the their almes? 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 184 Pope Boniface being informed and procured by the Scottes, sent his letters vnto the king of England. 1579 Fenton Guicciard. ii. (1599) 75 The newes of the reuolt of Nouaro, procured the King..to make way. 1667 Evelyn Diary 19 Sept., I procur'd him to bestow them [the Arundelian Marbles] on the University of Oxford. 1736 Hale's Placit. Coron. I. 615 An accessory before is he, that being absent at the time of the felony committed doth yet procure, counsel, command, or abet another to commit a felony. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters II. 144 The writer is influenced or procured to write for the one, against the other. 1828 S. Turner Anglo-Sax. (ed. 5) I. iii. x. 245 Charlemagne communicates to him [Offa]..his success in procuring the continental Saxons to adopt Christianity. |
† b. spec. Law. To induce privately, to suborn, to bribe (a witness, juryman, etc.). Obs.
| [1292 Britton i. ii. §11 Et si defendoms a touz Corouners..qe nul face ses enquestes..par amis procurez.] 1433 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 476/1 Whether they..be procured to chese eny persone..to eny maner Office..and yf eny persone..be founde procured, that then he or thei be remeved. 1573–80 Baret Alv. P 741 A witnes procured with monie, or bribes, conflatus pecuniâ testis. 1620 J. Wilkinson Coroners & Sherifes 44 Ye shall..make your pannels your selfe of such persons, as bee..not suspect, nor procured. |
† c. With adv. of place: To induce or prevail upon (a person) to come; to bring, lead. Obs.
| 1586 J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 130/2 [They] agreed to cause Tirlough Lennough to procure in the Scots. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 68 What vnaccustom'd cause procures her hither? a 1604 Hanmer Chron. Irel. (1633) 128 Neither were we procured hither to be idle, or live deliciously. 1625 Shirley Love Tricks iv. ii, Yonder is a pleasant arbour, procure him thither. |
† 7. To try to induce; to urge, press. Obs.
| 1551 Edw. VI Let. Sir B. Fitz-Patrick 20 Dec. in Lit. Rem. (Roxb.) I. 69 If yow be vehemently procured yow may goe as waiting on the king. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 219 b, Where did he euer shake of the obedience of due allegeaunce? or procured any Subjectes to rebellion agaynst their Gouernours? 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. i. 1 The famous Briton Prince and Faery Knight,..Of the faire Alma greatly were procur'd To make there lenger soiourne and abode. |
III. † 8. intr. To act as a procurator or legal agent; to solicit. (In quot. 1401, To act by a proctor or attorney.) Obs.
| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 383 Many trewe men, boþe aprentis and avocatis, wolen not procure in a cause bifore þat þei heeren it. 1401 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 34 You wend or send or procure to the court of Rome, to be made cardinals or bishops of the popes chaplens. 1528 Wolsey in St. Papers Hen. VIII, I. 291 What promysse I demaunded of the said Emperours Ambassadour, who said he wolde procure for restitution. 1536 in Strype Cranmer ii. (1694) 36 There should be as many..admitted to procure there as shuld be seen convenient to my said Lord of Canterbury. 1539 Sc. Acts Jas. V (1814) II. 353/2 Ane writing subscriuit be þe kingis grace..chargeing him & certane vþeris his collegis to procure for þe said James. |
† b. fig. To plead, make supplication. Obs.
| 1563 Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. To Rdr., Wks. I. 57 For in defence of that thing only procuir I, quhilk..the haill Kirk of God..maist clerlie appreuis. a 1568 R. Norvall O most eternall King 91 in Bannatyne MS. 51 Thairfoir to God for grace procure: He that wold leif most lerne to dy. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. ii. xxiii. (S.T.S.) I. 351 The king..procurit for his lyfe at the bischopis handis. a 1615 Brieue Cron. Erlis of Ross (1850) 13 He procurit to him, by nature inclynit to follow such counsel, to mak war in his favour. |
IV. † 9. intr. ? To proceed, advance. Obs. rare.
(Sense and sematology obscure.)
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos xiii. 47 In her thoughte the wounde of ambycyouse desyre..is so procured that she can not hyde it noo lenger. 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 146 His hatred procureth from naughtie to wurse, His friendship like Iudas that carried the purse. |